Microspeakers to High-End Tweeters in Voice Coil May 2025

Voice Coil May 2025 is now available and in this issue, Vance Dickason explores the popular miniDSP Flex HTx processor, while Mike Klasco dives into the world of microspeakers. For this issue's Test Bench, Vance Dickason characterizes his first driver from the new Italian brand RS Speakers, a new TW 104.28 N/Ag 1.1” tweeter, and next measures the 27TFC/T 1” Soft Dome Tweeter from the SEAS Prestige Titan Line.

xMEMS Labs announced that its Cowell MEMS drivers are now implemented in a new sports glasses product from BleeqUp, a hardware startup based in China. The BleeqUp product launch, following a spectacular crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, marks the first commercial deployment of a MEMS tweeter in glasses frames, paving the way to further opportunities in the - so far elusive - smart eyewear market.

xMEMS unveiled Lassen, the company’s latest member of its growing µFidelity range of MEMS drivers, and the first “amplifier-less” MEMS tweeter optimized for 2-way True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds. According to xMEMS, Lassen brings a number of advantages with no need for a piezo amplifier, reducing cost, size, and power consumption while maintaining exceptional sound performance with up to 115dB SPL in the 6kHz–20kHz range. For manufacturers, Lassen lowers integration costs by 25% making room for other advanced features, and allowing consistent sound quality in mass production.

During CES 2025, USound introduced two new innovative integrations in its growing range of MEMS speakers, unlocking new features for true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds with no additional components. The Austrian specialist in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) speakers announced a breakthrough that enables earbuds to feature advanced health monitoring and proximity detection, directly in the same device.

AAC Technologies showcased new audio and haptic solutions at CES 2025. Recognized as a leading source in sensors, actuators, and microspeakers, the company showcased solutions in many of these areas that are relevant for consumer product developments. Most notably, AAC Technologies introduced a range of self-developed haptic seat and premium sound products and solutions that once again set new industry standards.

To be unveiled at CES 2025 is a new example of a MEMS microspeaker company that now offers an integration with a MEMS microphone. SonicEdge, the startup that pioneered ultrasound MEMS drivers and has yet to enter the market, will present SonicTwin, an integrated speaker-microphone in a single package. Combining the company's patented modulated ultrasound technology that eliminates traditional mechanical vibrations, makes the integration with a microphone and sensors much easier with potential benefits also for ANC and lower-power in TWS earbuds and headphones.

Myvox is the name of the latest Swedish venture to get into the emerging and highly promising MEMS microspeakers space. As a differentiator, Myvox draws on the team's experience developing what they call "pure MEMS microspeakers" to promise advancements in audio quality, more than just purely focusing on the economies of scale of a "speaker-in-a-chip". Very close to start sampling, Myvox promises superior sound performance on a better form factor.